Seal breathen". Weathered root resembling seal, blue glass bead inlaid eyes and nose. On chest is walrus ivory stirrup ornamented with 2 seal heads also of walrus ivory. Inlaid baleen eyes in larger head, one of four drilled holes in other still has baleen in it. 2 large perforations at back end.
Donor:
Leslie Bennett
Collection place:
Alaska
Verbatim coll. place:
Alaska
Culture or time period:
Alaskan Eskimo
Collector:
Eda Dwyer
Collection date:
ca. 1942
Taxon:
Odobenus rosmarus
Object type:
ethnography
Function:
1.1 Hunting and Fishing
Context of use:
The "seal brethen" support the center of a seal net. For fastening to the net the "seal brethen" are provided with ivory stirrups, sometimes ornamented with extra... Incomplete description. Please refer to card for complete description.
Department:
Native US and Canada (except California)
Dimensions:
length 13 centimeters
Comment:
References: Inua - Spirit world of the Bering Sea Eskimo Fitzhugh & Kaplan, Smithsonian Press 1982, pp. 88-89.